Month: April 2015

Pool time is fun, family time. But you can add to the fun by playing entertaining, exciting games in your backyard pool that don’t require you to buy any additional equipment.

Playing pool games is not only enjoyable, it also helps promote healthy lifestyles. When you and healthy bones.

Four Fun Family Pool Games

Here, then, are some backyard pool games you can play to have fun and stay fit at the same time:

Avoid the Shark — One person is designated as the “Shark”. This person must tag the other players one at a time until everybody has been caught by the shark. Designate a ladder or another area as a “safe” zone. When players are touching the safe zone the shark can’t get them.

Marco Polo — In this traditional pool game, all players shut their eyes. One person is chosen to be “It”. When the person who is “It” shouts out, “Marco”, the other players must should out “Polo!”. The person who is “It” must then try to tag the other players using only the location revealed by the sound of their voice.

Sunken Treasure — Use a coin or some other object that sinks as the “sunken treasure”. Throw it into the middle of the pool and allow it to sink to the bottom. All players must then compete to be the first person to recover the sunken treasure.

Olympic Swimming — All players line up in the water on one side of the pool. They then must race to cross the pool and back. Whoever finishes first is the Olympic gold medalist.

These enjoyable, active pool games are fun for the whole family. Remember, the family that plays together stays together!

The long winter is finally over and many homeowners are beginning to think about opening their backyard pool for the summer season.

Before you call your pool cleaning service to prepare your pool,  it’s important that you give your pool and friends.

Pre-Season Safety Checklist

Here, then, is a pre-season safety checklist you can use to make sure your pool and deck area are as safe as possible:

• Walk the perimeter of your deck and check for any loose boards or protruding nails. These should be repaired or replaced immediately.
• Check the stability of railings, stairs and ladders. If they are not in working order or you aren’t sure they will make it through the season, repair or replace them.
• Look at the joints and nails that are approved for use by the manufacturer.
• Check the wood on your decking. Is it warped or discolored? If so, it could mean that it’s not pressure treated or naturally durable.
• How many years has it been since you sealed your deck against water and sun damage? If you can’t remember, it could be time to do it again.
• Make sure your deck has a continuous load path which transfers the load or weight of the deck through its frame and forces that can weaken it.

Spending a few minutes conducting a safety check of your deck and enjoyable time playing in your backyard pool this summer.